Perry County Genealogy Lookup
Perry County genealogy records are managed by the county clerk in Pinckneyville, located in southern Illinois. The clerk holds birth, death, marriage, and land records for the county. You can search Perry County genealogy files by visiting the courthouse on the public square, calling (618) 357-5116, or mailing a written request. The county has strong ties to coal mining, and many families who settled here in the 1800s came to work the mines. The IRAD depository at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale stores older Perry County government records that have been transferred from the Pinckneyville courthouse for preservation.
Perry County Genealogy Quick Facts
Perry County Clerk Records
The Perry County Clerk is at 22 Public Sq, Pinckneyville, IL 62274. Call (618) 357-5116 for questions or to start a record request. This office holds vital records, marriage files, and land documents for Perry County. Birth and death records start around 1877. Marriage records likely go back further, possibly to the 1820s when the county was organized. The Counties Code (55 ILCS 5) puts the county clerk in charge of these files.
Walk-in visits to the Pinckneyville courthouse are the fastest way to search. Staff help you work through the index books and can pull records on the spot. Bring the full name and any dates you know. Perry County processes fewer requests than the large urban counties, so the wait is usually short. Staff tend to know the collections well.
For mail requests, send a letter to the clerk with the name, dates, record type, your check, and a photo ID copy. Make checks payable to the Perry County Clerk. Include a phone number in case the office has questions. Response times for mailed requests vary but are generally faster at small counties like Perry than at the bigger offices.
| Office | Perry County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 22 Public Sq Pinckneyville, IL 62274 |
| Phone | (618) 357-5116 |
Perry County Land Records
Land records in Perry County go back well before the start of vital records in 1877. Deeds, mortgages, and property transfers can place your ancestor in the Pinckneyville area at a specific date. For families connected to the coal mining industry, land records may also show mineral rights transactions or company town property deals. These files are held by the recorder's office in Pinckneyville and can be searched during business hours.
The Local Records Act (50 ILCS 205) requires that county records with long-term research value be preserved. The Illinois State Archives also keeps public domain land sale records from the original federal patents. Those are free to search online and can show when the first owners bought land from the government in Perry County.
Note: Coal mining company records may hold additional genealogy data for Perry County families but are not part of the county clerk's collection.
Perry County Genealogy at IRAD
The IRAD depository for Perry County is at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Call (618) 453-3040 to check what Perry County files they hold. Carbondale is about 30 miles south of Pinckneyville, making it a short drive. IRAD stores older government records from the Perry County courthouse, including court case files, probate records, naturalization papers, and historical documents. Research is free and you can photograph anything at no charge.
Staff take mail and phone requests but limit each to two names. For larger projects, visit the campus in person. Use the IRAD holdings database on the State Archives site to look up what Perry County records are stored at SIU. Check the online inventory before making the trip. Combining a visit to the Pinckneyville courthouse with an IRAD stop in Carbondale is a practical one-day plan for Perry County genealogy research.
Searching Perry County Records
Begin at the Perry County Clerk for local files. For statewide records from 1916 forward, the Illinois Department of Public Health keeps birth and death records. IDPH requests go by mail and take about 12 weeks. The cost is $10 per genealogy copy. Birth records open 75 years after the birth. Death records are available after 20 years. The Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535) controls these time limits and access rules.
The Illinois State Archives provides free online databases covering Perry County entries. The statewide marriage index spans 1763 to 1900. Death indexes cover the pre-1916 era and 1916 to 1950. These are useful tools for starting your research from home. The Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) governs public records in Illinois broadly, but vital records have their own stricter rules.
- IDPH genealogy birth copy: $10 by mail, about 12 weeks
- IDPH death research copy: $10 by mail
- IRAD at SIU Carbondale: free, about 30 miles from Pinckneyville
- State Archives databases: free online
- Contact Perry County Clerk for local fee schedule
Perry County Record Access
Perry County does not have its own online search portal for genealogy files. All local requests go through the clerk at the Pinckneyville courthouse. For state records, the IDPH Freedom of Information Act page below shows how public records access works in Illinois, though vital records follow their own separate rules.
The FOIA page explains the general framework for government records in Illinois. Vital records like birth and death certificates have stricter rules under the Vital Records Act. For Perry County records before 1916, the Pinckneyville clerk or IRAD at SIU Carbondale are your best sources.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Perry County in southern Illinois. Families sometimes had records filed in a neighboring county, especially if they lived near a border. Check these if a Perry County search falls short.